My Genealogy Hound

NELSON A. BAKER, mayor of the city of Kearney, Nebr., has been a resident since 1879. He is a native of Clinton county, N. Y., and was born December 2, 1851. His father, Zebulon Baker, was also a native of Clinton county and died there, at the old home where his life had been passed, in 1855. Mr. Baker’s mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Albee, was a native of Vermont. She died in 1890 at Grand Island, Nebr.

The subject of this sketch is the youngest of a family of eight children. His education was obtained in common schools and at an early age he began to assume the trusts and responsibilities of mature life. His first business venture was the building and operating of a grist-mill at Oak Creek, Lancaster county, Nebr., to which place he had emigrated the year before. This business he continued for two years, relinquishing it then for a more lucrative situation as traveling salesman for an Iowa nursery concern. While working for this concern he was married, in the year 1875, to Miss Ximena M. Brooks, a native of northern Pennsylvania. In 1879, having previously become convinced that Kearney, with which he had become acquainted in his travels, was to be a city of future great importance, he decided to locate there, and severing his connection with the firm for which he had previously operated, he moved to Kearney and started in the nursery business for himself. This he successfully conducted till the year 1888, at which time he embarked in the real estate business, which he has since followed. He is one of the leading promoters of East Lawn, the beautiful suburb of Kearney, and is also largely interested in real estate in all parts of the city.

Mr. Baker has ever been active in all enterprises looking to the advancement of the public interest of the city with which he is identified. He was a prime mover in the organization of the Kearney Street Car Company, of which he was also secretary till the time of its sale to the G. W. Frank Improvement Company. He also organized the Midway Land Company, becoming its first vice-president and one of its business managers, which position he has continuously held since. In the spring of 1889 he was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of one of the members of the city board, and at once took an active part in the affairs of the city, displaying always sound business judgment and broad public spirit. His favorable record as a public citizen led to his nomination and subsequent election to the office of mayor of the city at the ensuing municipal election in the spiung of 1890. Among other enterprises in whose organization Mr. Baker has been active, may be mentioned the Canning Company, one of the leading industries of Kearney, and the inception and organization of the Chamber of Commerce, which has been a very potent factor in the development of the Midway City.

Three children grace the home of Mr. and Mrs. Baker — Earle R., M. Claire, and Nell Marie. Mr. Baker is a Knight Templar Mason, also a member of the Mystic Shrine. In politics he is a republican. He is counted one of the substantial, public-spirited citizens of Kearney and has before him, undoubtedly, being yet in the prime of life, a successful career of still wider usefulness.